Shoko Rocks Out Live

Shoko's first live album, released after she became an indies artist in 2001. The performances here are culled from three separate concerts given at Aoyama Manda-La in 2002.

The majority of the songs feature Shoko performing solo, generally playing piano and singing. However, sometimes a guest joins her: Carnation's Masahiro Naoe appears on "Koibitotachi no Tsuki"; Yuta Saito plays piano and sings on "Circle" and "Uchi"; while Takuo Yamamoto plays on "Amai Yoru," "Fune" and "Moon Dance Diner de."

At the end of disc 2, Shoko is joined by Shinobu Kawai on bass and drummer Grace to give a full band treatment to "25sai no On'na wa," "Izon to Shihai" (a great performance, and my favorite one on the record) and "Shoshite nao Eien ni" (though Shinobu goes a little off-key at times on her backing vocals on the final song).

I usually am indifferent at best to live albums, but occasionally one will make me sit up and listen. This is one such album; it's not merely rehashing the same old songs and arrangements, since Shoko often has to rearrange songs to fit a solo piano setting, and she does it well.